It tastes bittersweet
by haccat
Summary: You stand at the edge of the bubble, memories of the past behind you.
1. Be the last of your friends

You stand at the edge of the bubble, memories of the past behind you. You touch the clear surface. Strings stretch out from your hand, visible only as they touch the void. Of the strings that could be seen, all but three are limp. Three red, taunt strings stretch in front of you, heading farther than you can see. You step off the edge. For a moment, your hand goes through the bubble that catches you, just long enough to grab the strings and tug. The motion pulls you toward the strings' source, dragging you out of the bubble. As you're pulled through the void, you look back.

A tentacle reaches the bubble you escape from, and pops it. Behind it is another, a taunt fuchsia string coming from it. Desperately, you grab it, and pull. A tentacle wraps around the bubble, and you tug at the string again. The bubble pops, and the fuchsia string goes limp.


	2. Be the other guy

You wake up to a loud "SKREEEEEEEE" right above you. Your eyes snap open to notice the pale carapace of the Crab Lusus gazing down curiously at you. It calms somewhat as it stares at your face. You sit up on the furniture you laid on, giving the confused Lusus a simple smile. It gets used to you quickly. The block, and hive, that you're in are foreign to you, though the Lusus is familiar. What you know of it comes from visions, which concerned both the past and the future, as the creature to raise your descendent. Speaking of which, where is he? As you stand to find out, you notice the scars that should be dug deep into your wrists are faded marks of slightly tanned skin. Odd, but overall beneficial. The Lusus goes off to do his own thing, whatever that may be.

You head upstairs, wondering mildly if this is a dream bubble or a return of life. It's really difficult to say, at least as long as you do not have a reflective surface to check in. Two doors in the hall at the top of the stairs have lights coming from beneath them. The nearest one has the sound of rushing water coming from it. You knock. "Karkat, I am very nearly done. Your impatience could be very triggering to someone, not that I am triggered by it, which you should consider before do trigger someone. Not to imply that you are triggering individual, but that you should exercise more caution in such interactions as to properly avoid triggering anyone incidentally." The rant continues through the door. This will be interesting, to say the least. The door opens and, at the risk of triggering him, you pull Kankri into a hug. He freezes up, whether by the contact or the fact that he wouldn't be expecting anyone taller than him to be in the hive, it was hard to say. You can barely see your reflection in the mirror of the ablution block, but you can make out your eyes. Or at least that they aren't, in fact, the white glow of the dead. Kankri starts struggling, making what could only be a panicked shriek. A thump and mumbled curses come from the block further down the hall. The door opens, Karkat steps out, wielding sickles. He stares at you for a moment, absconding the next. A "SKREEEE" behind you is what gets you to release the younger troll, twisting on your heel before he sees your face. The crab lusus pushes past you, skreeeing worriedly in Kankri's face, claws reaching for him. Kankri absconds to a dark block. The sound of the door's lock is nearly blocked out by the Lusus's cries.

You knock on the block's door, receiving no reply in response. The Lusus goes a step further and starts clawing at the door, the "SKEEEE" he makes seeming to plea. At least that's what you think, anyway. Karkat would be the only one to know what it's actually meaning. The direct approach wouldn't work for either, now. You check the open door, finding it to be a respiteblock. You go up to the husktop, seeing something called Trollin on it. One of Karkat's friends was messaging him, it seems, and he had left mid conversation to discover what was going on. He may as well explain the issue.

GA: Karkat Are You Still There

GA: If You Do Not Answer Soon I Will Come Over To Check On You

CG: he has absconded somewhere, so he might not reply any time soon.

CG: at least not from this device.

GA: That Is Worrisome

GA: Might I Inquire As To why

CG: he will answer himself, I'm sure.

CG: you're word color is familiar.

CG: would you know someone call Dolorosa, perhaps?

GA: Is There A Reason You Would Like To Know This

CG: would you greet her for me?

GA: And This Greeting Would Be From

CG: her son.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA]

That should do it. You begin thinking up ways to find Karkat.


End file.
